Portsmouth's stark warning over Fratton Park redevelopment dream being dashed

That’s the stark warning from chief executive Mark Catlin over making the Blues’ home fit for the 21st century.

Catlin believes issues ‘beyond the club’s control’ may force the club to look for alternative venues beyond PO4, even with owner Michael Eisner keen to stay put.

Pompey have been looking to assistance from the local council, Highways Agency and Network Rail to build the infrastructure needed to sustain a stadium with a capacity in excess of 30,000.

Talks had been progressing well with those groups before the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was felt, while Catlin has explained there’s the potential to utilise grants from central government on the project.

But he indicated if the issues surrounding Fratton Park become insurmountable, Eisner and everyone who wants the club to remain at their 121-year-old home, may have to accept that’s the case.

He said: ‘We won’t hide behind Covid in not pursuing the work going on with the stadium, that’s not the key.

‘If the set conditions pre-Covid were met we are still ready to go, but there are a lot of issues out of our control.

‘There are a lot of issues which are outside of our control. It’s no good building a 30,000 stadium only for the regulatory authorities to deem the surrounding areas unsafe and reduce our capacity.

‘It doesn’t make any sense.

‘I stress again we’re not asking for money to do anything on our footprint. All we’re asking for is assurances that if we do start the work to expand the stadium we won’t have capacity cut.

‘We can’t get those guarantees given the state of the infrastructure around Fratton Park.

‘In my opinion, we need to keep the option open of moving away.

‘I know that’s not palatable - and it’s not palatable to our owner Michael Eisner, who wants to stay.

‘But even the board with their passion for Fratton, may have to realise at some point we are going to be restrained at Fratton to a point where it cannot fulfil our ambitions - and we have to start facing up to that fact.’

Catin knows there’s a desire among the majority of supporters to stay at Fratton Park moving forward.

The clamour for news on that front led to the club releasing plans for phase one of the redevelopment, focussing on the Milton End, which has been given the green light.

Catlin knows not pushing forward with the scheme will be met with disappointment, but feels he’s been consistent in the view this could be the outcome.

He added: ‘You have to remember, and we explored this for 18 months with supporters and groups, the option of moving away from Fratton.

‘The fans pretty unanimously wanted to stay at Fratton Park - but I made clear at the time the issues we would face.’